While white ink can be used to lighten tattoos, its visibility and longevity make it a less desirable option compared to other methods. In this article, we will discuss why artists avoid lightening tattoos with white ink and explore other ways to lighten them.
Answer: Probably Not Unfortunately, white ink probably won't give you the results you're looking for, as it will be very hard if not impossible to match your skin tone. However because of how light the tattoo is there's a good chance it will respond fairly well to a laser removal treatment.
On average, white ink tattoos may start to show signs of fading within a year and could require touch-ups every few years to maintain their vibrancy. Regular sun protection and good skincare can help prolong their appearance.
So what happens when you put white ink over a black tattoo is it will just lightening it a bit. The black will still be there and you're just putting some white over it. So it won't be really white.
The hardest tattoo color to remove is generally considered to be green, followed closely by blue. These colors are more challenging because they absorb certain wavelengths of laser light less effectively than darker colors like black or red.
Yellow, blue, purple, turquoise - these are the common colors that most laser tattoo removal devices just cannot seem to get rid of.
All of the lighter and brighter colours such as pink, yellow, light green/blue etc Will always fade faster than the darker colours, as well as the black and grey ink.
White ink can discolor, over the years we have seen white tattoos that have gone yellow, green and grey. The chemical composition of White ink is different to black ink, which means it spreads in the skin a lot more than black ink, which means delicate and detailed designs will spread and look blurry.
Natural methods like exfoliation, lemon juice, and hydrogen peroxide can offer gradual fading but carry risks of skin irritation and inconsistent results. For safer and more effective tattoo removal, professional treatments such as the advanced Phantom™ Laser technology are highly recommended.
Essentially, white ink as a line on the skin. In fairly light skin looks like a scar. It's lighter than the skin, it's denser than the skin and it's fairly hard to notice from far away, but when you get close it's there. It's obvious.
Black and gray tattoos rely on shading and contrast to create depth and detail, making them a popular choice for traditional designs such as portraits, fine-line tattoos, and tribal tattoos. They also tend to age better over time, since black and gray ink fades less than colored ink.
White tattoo ink is often used to create a more delicate look or to add contrast to black ink. It can also help cover up existing tattoos. White ink is more expensive than black ink, and it's also more likely to fade over time. Ultimately, the choice between white and black tattoo ink comes down to personal preference.
While white ink can be used to lighten tattoos, its visibility and longevity make it a less desirable option compared to other methods. In this article, we will discuss why artists avoid lightening tattoos with white ink and explore other ways to lighten them.
White Ink Tattoos Fade or Change Color Quickly
White ink is very delicate. Any slight natural coloration from your body can shift the hue of your white ink tattoo or stain it from the inside. Your white tattoo may lose its pristine whiteness in as little as two months, even if you take great care of it.
Regular exfoliation with a salt or sugar scrub can help fade your tattoo. Try to exfoliate for 5-10 minutes per session and avoid being too rough with your skin. Applying lemon or lime juice, glycolic acid, and hydrogen peroxide can lighten skin if you apply it directly, especially if you do it right after exfoliating.
Sun damage
You can't avoid the sun forever and you probably want to show off your artwork, but you can protect your skin and tattoo by using an SPF with a high UVA and keeping it covered in intense, direct sunlight. Anything that affects or damages your skin will make your tattoo fade quicker.
One of the most common home tattoo removal methods we see talked about is salabrasion or rubbing the skin away with salt. It's an old method, and it does technically work, provided you rub enough skin off to reach the layer where the ink is held. You could also achieve the same effect with coarse sand or sandpaper.
Why Vaseline and petroleum-based jelly aren't great for a new tattoo. Petroleum-based products can cause ink to fade and may trap moisture and bacteria on top of the tattoo, increasing your risk of developing an infection. Use water-based moisturizers on new tattoos instead.
The Hardest Tattoo Colours to Remove
Think about the colour spectrum. Black ink absorbs all wavelengths and retains the most heat, making it easier to break down with laser energy. On the other hand, white ink reflects all wavelengths of light and absorbs the least heat, making it much more challenging to treat.
White ink tattoos might also be considered more painful because of how many times the design must be tattooed. In order to completely saturate the intended area with ink, the artist will likely need to go over the white ink several times during multiple appointments with time to heal in between.
The application of white ink introduces a stunning contrast, transforming a once-dominant black tattoo into a complex tonal interplay. Here, the black serves as a shadow, highlighting the ethereal quality of white ink and creating depth where there was none.
Hydrogen Peroxide and Exfoliation - Exfoliation paired with hydrogen peroxide can do wonders to gradually fade tattoo ink naturally. This is because exfoliation removes dead skin while hydrogen peroxide is a skin lightening agent that has bleaching properties.
The color of the ink affects how easy it is to remove a tattoo. We take into account the color of your tattoo to provide you with realistic goals. Typically, black, green, and blue are the easiest tattoo pigments to remove. On the other hand, whites, reds, yellows, and oranges are more difficult.